Dr. Frederick J. Ferrari, DDS

Dr. Frederick J. Ferrari, D.D.S., age 89, beloved orthodontist, outdoorsman, and long-time resident of Flemington, NJ, passed away peacefully in his sleep at home in Raritan Township on Tuesday, July 29, 2025.

Born August 1, 1935, in Brooklyn and raised in Queens, Fred was the son of the late Fiorenzo and Claire (Viola) Ferrari. Though shaped by city life, he was always drawn to the open air and wild spaces. In 1960, shortly after earning his dental degree and marrying his first wife, Mary Lou, he followed that calling to Alaska, where he served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, providing dental care for service members in remote outposts.

Fred settled in Flemington in 1964 and went on to found the first orthodontic practice in Hunterdon County. A pioneer in early-phase treatment, he helped shape the future of his field, and found deep satisfaction in his work and the lives it touched. Over the years, he became a well-loved presence in the community—so much so that friends and neighbors affectionately called him “the mayor of Flemington.”

An avid backpacker, hunter, skier, and cyclist, Fred spent countless hours exploring the hills and backroads of New Jersey and beyond with a devoted group of biking friends. In 1999, a tragic accident left him paralyzed from the waist down. Yet true to his spirit, Fred did not retreat—he reinvented. He became a passionate advocate for stem cell research and a source of strength and wisdom for others living with spinal cord injuries.

In 2003, Fred married Roseann Zanelli Schwab, and was quickly embraced by her loving extended family. Their years together were filled with joy, companionship, and deep mutual care.

Fred was a beautiful man inside and out. If you knew him for a minute or a lifetime, chances are he left you smiling.

He was predeceased by his sister, Alynn Ferrari Friezo Chofey, and by his grandson, Kyle. He is survived by his wife, Roseann Zannelli Ferrari; his first wife, MaryLou Ferrari; his children and their spouses: Frederick Joseph Ferrari, Jr. (Anna), Michael Ferrari (Heather), Claire Ferrari (Chris Boas), Lisa Ferrari (Jim Kuchman), Ken Schwab (Kelley), and Tasha Hinrichs (Carl); his brother and sister-in-law, Bob and Mary Jane Ferrari; and sixteen grandchildren: Michael, Brianna, Kai, Eva, Gabriel, Charlie, Cole, Quinn, Kayla, Kristin, Karissa, Monica, Joseph, Thomas, Hunter, and Derek.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, August 2, 2025, at 11:00 AM at Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ 08822. Calling hours will take place that morning from 9:00 AM until the time of service. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Fred's name may be mailed to The Spinal Cord Injury Project, 604 Allison Road, D-251, Piscataway, NJ 08854. Please click on the 'Gifts of Hope' tab directly by clicking here: https://keck.rutgers.edu/ways-to-give/gifts-of-hope

Arrangements are under the direction of the Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ 08822. For further information or to send an online condolence, please visit www.holcombefisher.com.